MU's draft budget would eliminate 328 full-time jobs

COLUMBIA - The University of Missouri's plan to handle massive budget cuts includes the elimination of about 383 jobs, through layoffs, attrition, retirement, contract non-renewals and voluntary separations.

The director of MU News Bureau, Christian Basi, said that if a position is occupied and is a staff position, that’s going to be a layoff. Whereas if it’s a teaching position, that would result in a “non-renewal of a contract.”

But MU Faculty Council Member Christi Bergin said the language in the proposal is misleading. She said the non-renewal of a contract is the same thing as a lay off.

“Most of our students are being taught by non-tenured faculty,” she Bergin said. “The idea that this won’t have impact would be misleading.”

The plan is to eliminate about 147 full-time equivalent vacant positions and nearly 181 full time occupied positions. These include 43 retirement, 38 contract non-renewals, 84 layoffs and 16 voluntary separations.

”There is simply no way to meet the requirements without reducing jobs.” Stokes wrote.

The College of Arts and Sciences will see the most job reductions with 33 vacant spots and 35 occupied spots being removed. Other colleges that will be significantly affected are engineering with 11 vacant and 15 occupied spots, education with 9 vacant and 19 occupied positions, and journalism with 4 vacant and 18 occupied jobs being cut.